¶ … fictionalized view of soccer great Mia Hamm that has been drawn from factual evidence. The writer uses first person narratives and creates a fictional setting from which to display the wonders of the soccer champion's abilities. The writer uses factual evidence to provide the fictional account. There were ten sources used to complete this paper. Mia Hamm

I have never been a soccer fan. Well let me change that, I was never a soccer fan because I never knew anything about the game. When I was small I played for one season and I remember everybody running around in the sun chasing a ball until the whistle blew. It did not seem like something I could get into and I signed up for basketball the following year. Because I have never been a soccer fan I was quite surprised when a friend invited me to go to the world cup game with her. It was the day my view on soccer, and my love of the game was born. I know now I had never been a fan before because I had never had the opportunity to watch Mia Hamm perform.

When we first got to the game it was hot and crowded and loud. The stands were beginning to fill up and people pushed and shoved with good natured abandon. They were here to watch magic happen. My seat is next to the aisle but behind me sits three middle aged men and in front of me was a woman and two other men. I can hear snippets of their conversation and I hear them talking about someone named Mia as if she is a Goddess. "Mia will take it home," the woman states with confidence. "Yes, says the man next to her, and I hope she does it today!" I have no clue what they are referring to, but I will listen and learn.

Everywhere I turn I hear the spectators talking about someone named Mia and when I can stand my ignorance no more I ask one of the men sitting behind me who she is. I am completely surprised by his answer. "Why Mia Hamm is my niece and she is the best female soccer player in the free world!."

I feel so embarrassed to have hit upon one of her relatives. When those seated around me hear his response they come alive and in an instant I am being crowded from all sides as they push into speak to him. They are lining up to pump his hand and tell him how many of Mia's games they have seen, or how many autographs of hers they have and other sports trivia. I am not saying much because of the sudden crowd. Instead I try and concentrate on my other senses, which is a trick my mom taught me when I was small and things got to noisy for me. I can smell the fresh cut grass that is waiting for the spiked cleats to aireate it from the pounding the game will provide. I hear the hot dog vendors in the stands screaming their wares while keeping a carefully balanced bored tone in their voices. As I turn and watch the field I see eager little teens who have won various contests to be able to sit down with the players on the field and feel what it feels to be a champion if only for one day.

When the din dies down and the game is about to begin I take a minute to turn to the uncle; "I am sorry I didn't know who she was, I don't know much about the game."

As the story unfolds I can see why every body in the stand knows who Mia is. From all accounts, which there were many, because my then my friend has returned and everybody around us is tossing out facts and figures about the girl, she was a born winner. She was responsible for many of the victories the team had experienced including taking a victory in the world championship against China. "Yup, she took it out in the 66th minute" bragged her uncle. "Well don't forget how hard they tried to stop her " one of his friends...

This is being explained to me by her uncle as the current game gets underway.
She has broken many goals including international competition goals," says her uncle as the national anthems get underway. I suddenly wonder what I have been missing all these years. If the game can draw the numbers and fans that this game has in attendance I seriously think I have missed the boat somewhere along the line.

U.S. women's schedule & results

As the opening moments begin I am excited about soccer for the first time in years. I believe that I am going to watch this Mia Hamm do something great today I will eagerly record it in my memory banks. She has entered the field. They never had to announce her name because the crowd is going wild. HAMM HAMM is being shouted to the field and the noise is deafening. A little girl about 5 feet five inches tall is running on the field. Is this the Mia? Her uncle is tapping me on the shoulder and shouting into my ear. I cannot hear him. I am going to lean closer, and when I do I can hear him. "Not bad for a little girl from chapel Hill North Carolina the?" And as he is pumping my hand I can feel the pride radiating through his hand.

Someone next to me has thrown down a newspaper and I can see the picture of Mia on the page. I wonder what it says? "The most recognized female soccer player in the world, she broke the all-time international scoring record, for men and women, on May 16, 1999, against Brazil in Orlando, Fla. with her 108th career goal... The second most capped player in the world behind teammate Kristine Lilly From 1997 to 1999, she scored 51 goals in her 63 matches (U.S. player pool (http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/hamm.htm)...Named U.S. Soccer's Chevrolet Female Athlete of the Year an unprecedented five years in a row from 1994-1998... Ended 1999 as the world's all-time leading scorer with 114 goals and 93 career assists (by far a team record) for 321 points (U.S. player pool (http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/hamm.htm)...Because of her high number of assists, if she had never scored a goal, she would still be in among the top-10 scorers in U.S. history (U.S. player pool (http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/hamm.htm)...1999: Helped lead the U.S.A. To the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup title, scoring the opening goal of the tournament against Denmark in front of a sold-out crowd at Giants Stadium... Also scored against Nigeria in the first round Both her World Cup goals were game-winners... Named to the All-Women's World Cup Team... Nailed the U.S.A.'s fourth penalty kick against China in the World Cup Final (U.S. player pool (http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/hamm.htm)...Played in 26 matches for the U.S.A. In 1999, scoring 13 goals with 16 assists, the most on the team... 1998: Had the highest scoring year of her brilliant career in 1998 with 20 goals and 20 assists... Made soccer history on Sept. 18, 1998, in Rochester, N.Y., scoring her 100th career goal in a 4-0 victory over Russia, becoming just the third player to score 100 or more international goals... Led the U.S.A. To the first-ever Goodwill Games gold medal by scoring five of her team's seven goals, including both goals in a 2-0 victory over China in the championship game (U.S. player pool (http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/roster/women/hamm.htm)."

The crowd is going wild as I read…